Ulster Club SFC: Rory Beggan ‘knew’ Scotstown would prevail in provincial decider

Scotstown goalkeeper Rory Beggan said “you can’t pay a man enough” to match the feeling of ending his club’s Ulster championship drought.

Beggan, who won inter-county provincial titles with Monaghan in 2013 and 2015, kicked 11 points at the Athletic Grounds on Saturday as his side outlasted Kilcoo in an extra-time thriller.

The 33-year-old briefly pursued a career in American football through the NFL’s International Player Pathway last year, but there was nowhere he would rather have been than Armagh as Scotstown claimed their first Ulster title since 1989.

“You can’t pay a man enough to be in these shoes,” he said.

“Unbelievable. This is so much for this club.”

Scotstown had led by five points at half-time and extended their advantage out to eight after the restart. Kilcoo, however, sent the game to extra time with the penultimate kick of normal time.

Despite that setback, and the weight of history, Beggan always felt convinced his side would be victorious.

“We weren’t being beaten,” he said.

“I just knew it the last two weeks, I knew it after the Newbridge [semi-final], what it meant to this group.

“We’ve been through the ringer with this competition, but the rewards will come, you just have to be patient.

“It’s been too long, 36 years is too long for the club to not be winning this competition.”